family Clinidae
- noun
- Specialized
- Members of the family Clinidae are characterized by their elongated bodies and live-bearing habits.
Examples
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The family Clinidae includes numerous species of kelp blennies found along rocky coastlines.
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Marine biologists often study the reproductive behavior of fishes in the family Clinidae.
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The family Clinidae includes various species of blennies.
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Many fish enthusiasts admire the family Clinidae for their unique features.
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Marine biologists often study members of the family Clinidae to understand their adaptations to rocky reefs.
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The family Clinidae is known for its diverse species of small, viviparous blennies that thrive in kelp beds.
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Fishes belonging to the family Clinidae can be spotted swimming gracefully among the seaweed on temperate shores.
Synonyms
A group of small sea fish that give birth to live young
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is strictly compositional: 'family' (a taxonomic group) combined with 'Clinidae' (the name of a fish family) yields the meaning 'the taxonomic family Clinidae' directly from its parts. This follows standard scientific naming patterns found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituent meanings can readily understand it.
Etymology
Family Clinidae comes from the scientific genus Clinus. One popular idea is that Clinus comes from a word meaning 'to lean', because these long, thin fish often rest leaning among rocks and kelp. That's why the name fits this family of small fish that give live young.